Ecuador Expat Forum - Taking dogs to Ecuador

I have been inquiring about flying two Labs to Ecuador when I move later this year. Many different answers and scenarios! Fellow at embassy in Vancouver makes it sound so simple; then the airlines have other ideas. I have read of pets sent as Cargo having to stay 3 days without food or water before you are allowed to pick them up. To me this is unacceptable!! I would like them to go as checked baggage but if the dog and crate weigh over 100 lbs. they have to go as cargo. Also have heard if you pay about $600.00 you can get you pet right away and some of the money is refunded later. Who is this paid to and how do you arrange this? Anyone with any answers or ideas, I would really appreciate it!

If you decide to send your dog as cargo, which in my experience is a bad idea, the health certificate is the same as for flying with the dog. Someone still has to drop the dog off at the airport 4-5 hours before the flight. There will be more forms to fill out at this point, but the airline you select will guide you through it. There will of course be a fee, based on the combined weight of the dog and the cage and the dimensions of the cage itself. LAN Chile for example told me that they charged about $150 to ship a Chihuahua and about $700 to ship a Great Dane, so the rate can vary wildly. I would highly recommend that you have someone email or fax you copies of all of the paperwork so you have a starting point when the dog arrives.Once the dog arrives is when the real work begins. Unlike traveling with the dog, there is a huge process to go through in order to claim the dog. NO the airline will not do this for you. NO this is not an easy precess that can be done by yourself. This is the process with LAN which was the only airline that will fly a short snout breed directly from Miami to Guayaquil (the only other airline that will fly that route direct is American Airlines, the carrier I brought my first dog in on). I would recommend that you get a direct flight if at all possible to reduce the stress on your dog. From the moment the dog arrives there are at least 10 hours of work to be done to get the dog and another 10 once you have the dog.1. You must deposit a fee of $25 (or whatever the airway bill says) directly into the LAN cargo bank account at their bank. 2. You must then take the deposit slip to the LAN Cargo office near the airport. The person listed on the airway bill must go in person and present either a cedula or a passport, sign a few things and receive the original copy of the airway bill and health certificate that you got in the States. 3. You then take all of these papers, your cedula and/or passport to a customs agent. To be clear this is a private person or company that can be hired for a fee of $150- $500 or more. They will then work with customs (the government). The process takes at least an entire day if you start as early as possible. There are forms to fill out which are so unbelievable complicated that there is simply no way that a lay person could complete them correctly, but the Orwellian bureaucratic nightmare that is Ecuadorian customs will not permit a private person to complete the process anyway, so it is just as well. 4. After filling out just about every form imaginable, you will need to decide exactly who or what is responsible for the importation of the dog. If you are in good standing with the legal representative of a company or person that has a license to import they can import the dog. This means that the legal representative of the company or the individual who can import will need to be there in person to sign for the release of the animal. Customs sees no distinction between a box full of cellphones and a dog in a cage. Do not expect to be able to skip any steps just because the cargo is a living thing.5. At some point in the process try to sweet talk your way into seeing the dog. If you don't speak perfect Spanish bring someone who does to help. They may let you feed it and take it out of the cage for a little while. I had a good experience with the warehouse guys, they had taken it upon themselves to let the dog out of his cage for a quick walk to relieve himself, but I would not expect that this is common practice.6. If you do not bring an already registered importer with you, you will have to register as an importer yourself which is another bureaucratic labyrinth. Again the customs agent can help you with the paperwork, but you must get a RUC number in person from the Ecuadorian SRI (their IRS). You must bring a copy of the cedula or passport, censo or visa and a copy of your lease and power, water or telephone bill stating your address to the SRI office.7. There are a series of payments that you will have to make through out the process, the importation license requires a fee and in order to take the dog off the premises you must leave a 'guarantee' with customs to be deposited directly in their account. The amount is based on the value of the dog and the cost of the airfreight. I paid $120 to customs for a dog that was valued at $100 and an airway bill that was $177. I would recommend listing the dog as having no value at all- $0.8. If you are really lucky and the customs agent you hire has a good relationship with someone in customs, with a whole lot of luck you may get the dog within 24 hours of his arrival. You will have to promise to come back and complete the paperwork the following day. Or if you ask really nicely the customs agent might send a messenger back and forth to your work or residence to complete all the paperwork. There is no such thing as a quarantine for dogs coming into Ecuador provided that they have all the necessary paperwork. If you read that there is a quarantine period for your dog, you have been misinformed. The '2-3 day quarantine' is simply the time it is going to take you to complete the paperwork necessary just to get the dog out of a warehouse.So if you really don't care that your pet has to spend 24-48 hours in an un-air-conditioned warehouse while you spend at least an entire work day in the customs building, go ahead and ship the dog as cargo and he will be treated as such.After going through both processes, I cannot stress enough that you will save neither time nor money sending a dog as cargo. I would recommend to anyone who wants to bring a dog to Ecuador, buy a plane ticket and fly with it, at least from Miami if not all the way from your previous residence.I wish I had know all of this before I had my dog shipped as cargo.If there is no other way than to ship the dog cargo, as was the case for my brother in Panama, c'est la vie. But if you have the choice. FLY WITH THE DOG!Best of luck to all of you moving with the family pet! If you respond to this post and I can recommend at least two customs agents that can help.

Thanks for all the good info. I'm planning to move from Alberta, Canada to Ecuador and bring 3 dogs. I didn't know crate plus dog weights varied by airline, I'll have to shop around for the right airline. I have a link to Air Canada pet info, based on this only one dog of mine could go in the luggage compartment on my flight and the other two would have to go air cargo.

I have taken a rather small dog to Ecuador and he was not small enough to be allowed in the cabin, you really have to research the airlines that you have access to which fly to Ecuador to see who will be willing to take your dogs. My dog did go as cargo and no he was not held without food or water for longer then the trip time, well we gave him food when we put him in the cage, and some water, but it does get cold in there and we opted to sort of sedate the animal so he was not so nervous while flying. You may want to fly into the US and then take a fly to Ecuador if this will make it easier for the dogs. I ended up using American Arilines at the time since they ship animals. No one else even wanted to bother with it, but this was like 8 years ago. This probably changed. Good luck to you.

Bokito: Thanks for the extended information about the "long and not easy"process in customs in order to release a dog. My question is, what happens if I travel w/my dog that will go as "cargo" in the same plane? I cannot take him as checked luggage due to the summer heat. The only way is to ship him as cargo... but again I'll arrive with him. Do you think that customs will release it at the same time??? Thanks a lot.

You said that your doggie was not held in a customs warehouse. does it mean that they released it at the time of arrival?? I'm so worried about my doggie... the idea of him being held in a warehouse for who knows how many hours makes me sad and worried. Pls help!!

I am sorry but i can't help you with more information.If you can't avoid taking him along as cargo(or leave behind)well i also would ship him as cargo.I would never let my dog behind.Perhaps you can have someone here meet you at the airport who speaks spanish,also has a working cell phone.Be sure to have some cash available to spent.If possible try to fly in at say at monday or tuesday and not friday late at night.

My dog was shipped as luggage(we were at the same airplane)but she was in a part off the airplane were passengers are not allowed.We landed here in Guayaquil and they simply put her cage on the belt were you pick up the luggage.At that moment off course i let her out.Waiting in the customs line,i was approached by security that said she must stay in the cage till passed customs.But my girl wouldn't go in the cage no more.She is/was never benched.I just familiarize her with the cage about 2 months in advance .My wife was allowed to hand over the dog to family waiting behind customs.This was in march 2010.I could recall that they just looked a little in the dog papers.

I can understand your doggie not wanting to get back in to the kennel. Thankfully you had someone to take care of her outside customs. Hum... the good thing is that she travelled as checked luggage. That's great.. Travelling as cargo is a different story. I need to know if I will be able to get my dog out of customs that night. Happy that everything worked out for you and your doggie.

That's the point. I cannot leave the dog behind. We're moving to Quito for good and I'll probably won't be back to the USA for a year or so. I speak Spanish since I'm Ecuadorian. The good thing is that we're travelling on Monday evening arriving in UIO Tuesday evening. I just booked Fred w/Delta (the only airline that was friendly and helpful in this matter). We had to make some arrangemets flightwise in order to travel in the same plane as Fred. Hopefully that'll help. We'll be travelling together. I'm getting psycologically prepared for the worst (that means spending time @ the customs facility w/my dog while the customs agent is trying to get him out). At least from what I've read, at customs they'll let you walk inside and pet/give water/spend time with the doggie. I'm calling Aduana en el Aeropuerto on Monday to get the whole scoop of the situation. Thanks for your answer.

Why don't you get in touch with the well recommended Sandy Baquero who is a "tramitero"--that is, a person who does the paperwork and knows the laws in order to get your things 'released' here in Ecuador...she speaks English as well and she could either help or direct you to a specialist in animals who perhaps could help.

I am new to this forum, just found it on the net yesterday. My husband and I are planning to move to Ecuador most likely early next year, maybe February as soon as he retires from the military. Can't be soon enough.

Our plan is to first visit this October and to stay for 2-3 months to have a feeling about the country and people and to try to find a rental place for the future. The coastal area is on our mind like San Clemente but also thinking about higher elevation like Cuenca. I've heard or better said I've read that Cuenca must be somewhat like Paradise.

We live in the state of NM in the US 6500 feet high so elevation is not a problem.

Has anyone in this forum, or some whom you know, perfected pet transportation so well that they could build it into a business? We have 4 dogs, a Chihuahua mix, a miniature Poodle, a black Lab and the world's sweetest Doberman and we could use some help when moving them with us to Ecuador.

Anyone brave enough to help us?

Ps: Please forgive my incorrect grammar, English is not my 1st language and still have to work on it. Thanks.

I cannot say that I perfected the dog re-location issue. But let me tell you, it is very complicated. It is good that you're planning your trip in October, since the airlines will take the dogs as checked luggage. If so, you won't have problems at all. The only thing is that since you have 4 then you have to let the airline know in advance. Some airlines take until 7 dogs in the luggage area. Good luck with your plans!! Cuenca is a beautiful city.

The idea of checking out the different area's in Ecuador is a good plan.2-3 months should be enough to do just that.But do you have someone to take care of the dogs when you here in Ecuador?Mind you,just because Cuenca is paradise to a lot of people,doesn't mean it will be for you to.At this website you will find quit a few blogs of people living here,also on the beach.For travel with the dogs you should read the history on this site.http://southofzero.wordpress.com/

When we go this October we'll have a house- and dog sitter staying at our place here to look after things. Couldn't / wouldn't do the short 2-3 months trip to Ecuador with doggies, we wouldn't have time to really look around, we would always be busy with the dogs. We'll take them when the time arrives for the final move.

Bokito: Pretty good advice. Hum.. I looked for the story about relocating your dogs in the site you posted and couldn't find it. It is a pretty nice and big site. If you get a chance, could you please post the exact link to that story. Thanks a lot.

No i don't have the exact link for dog dog(pet)travel to Ecuador.If i had it i would post it.Like lots of information,its spread out in all the page-history on expat exchange.Sometimes its also can be found in message which has a different title.The discussion on that certain thread changed at sometime to pets and this isn't reflected in the title of this thread.

Hello DogLover,My apologies for making this such a long response but it is an important issue to address.You are wise to start well in advance on a plan to bring your dogs to Ecuador. It can get complicated. I am planning on moving there as soon as we sell our house and the one thing that has me nervous is flying our 2 dogs and 1 parrot.1. I would advise going online and look for the Embassy of Ecuador in Washington D. C. website. They have information that either answers your questions, or makes you think of questions to ask! They may have a local office nearby. We have one in Houston and I plan to visit them soon with a list of questions. Hope this link works for you. http://www.ecuador.org/miscellaneous.htm 2. You should check directly with the airline(s) that you may use. Look at their websites for pet-travel and make several phone calls to make sure that the information that you get from them is consistent, especially when it gets closer to the time that you plan on leaving.3. Some airlines will only fly pets as cargo (that means that they go with the cargo in a holding area and not on the luggage carousel). What this means is that if customs is closed (after ~6:00 pm), there can be delays in retrieving your pet (like when they open in the morning). I think that if you pay a fee/tax before you get there, you can collect your pet and return to “adjust” the amount that you paid (this is from the Ecuador consulates website). If they fly as “luggage” you can get them at the carousel with your other bags (this information I got initially from this forum, which has been helpful!).4. Also, most airlines will not fly pets if temperatures are too high or too low because they cannot control the cargo hold temperature within a proper range. Also find out about the number of pets per flight since they will make someone stay behind if too many pets have been scheduled (why they do not know in advance is beyond me!).5. I am planning on visiting a recommended veterinarian in Quito when my husband and I make our reconnaissance trip so that I have a good vet when we arrive with the dogs (just in case). I will post information after the trip so that others will have an advantage.6. I was told by someone who travels a lot with their dogs that when you get on the plane, ask the flight attendant to ask the captain/pilot if your dog (give the dogs name) has been loaded onto the plane. She said that she always does this to make sure that her dog is in fact “on/in the plane”!Hope that this helps. Below is an earlier posting that discusses this topic as well.Reb

I was looking at flights from Houston, or a city where I had friends/family. In any case, a flight landing after customs closes would mean that you can't get "cargo" until they open again in the morning. I did not ask but I assume that animals stay in their "crate" the whole night. Each airline has very different restrictions and they change over time. Continental recently discontinued flying pets as "checked baggage". Now they only fly pets as "cargo" or in the cabin. The merger of Continental with United Airlines may result in changes to their pet-flight policy in the future so keep checking before you schedule a flight. Continental and American Airlines were helpful each time I called. They also have a good web that discusses their policies. I have not yet checked with United, but that may be an option for you.One thing to keep in mind is that both Continental and American fly "travelers with pets" on standby. If the outside/ground temperatures are such that they will not be able to maintain 50-70 degrees, they will not let you fly. There are other issues where you may not be allowed to fly depending on the airline. This is another reason to be in an area with freinds in case you need to stay overnight, etc.Also, I asked airlines about direct flights only. I am not comfortable with the pets being moved in and off planes, and the additional take-off and landings for connecting flights. However, that may be an option for you.I have considered landing in a different city during business hours, and taking a bus/car to where I need to go (or having someone like my husband pick me up). That is if the dogs can ride in the bus with me.As I said earlier, I may qualify for the “psychiatric” need to have my pets with me by the time I am ready to fly. Hope that this helps. If I get any more information, I will post it.

Hi. Thanks for your extensive information regarding pet travelling. There are a couple of things that I might able to help with in here. First of all, the Ecuadorian Embassy in Washington's web site is not updated. Pls don't rely on that info. I called customs in Ecuador and they gave me a different information from that of the website. I asked them if they take the $600 (refundable) so I can take my doggie out of customs the same night of my arrival. They said that they don't do that. That if the plane arrives at nighttime, the doggie has to go to a customs warehouse until the next morning, when I have to hire a customs agent in order to release the dog (customs agent fees go from $150 to $500). In the meantime, I'll be able to see my dog for a few minutes and give him some water. At Ministerio de Agricultura (Agrocalidad) they advised me NOT TO SHIP THE DOG AS CARGO IF YOU DON'T FLIGHT ON THE SAME PLANE. Otherwise, the dog will arrive alone and the person in charge of releasing the dog will have a lot of problems in customs. At least, if you travel w/the dog on the same plane, you have the slight chance of releasing him the same day. As you, I'm a phychiatric case.. seriously, this situation is making me very anxious. I hate to take my dog as cargo, I hate the idea of him spending a night and a day at the customs warehouse.. However, I cannot leave him behind. So, I'm prepared for the worst. Sure, I'm willing to pay the $600 (refundable) but it doesn't work like that. I don't know why the website of the Washington's consulate hasn't updated the information. So,as you said, pls make all the necessary phone calls to make sure that you got the right information. Oh.. the last thing. We are travelling w/Delta. I didn't have the right feeling about Continental. When I talked w/them they said that I had to book the doggie three days before the trip. And if the plane is 75% at its capacity they won't be able to take the dog. Literally they told me that in that case they'll dump the dog. I could not believe they told me that. Delta were way more friendly and informative. They have the Pet safe program and you'll be able to book your dog 30 days in advance. Believe me, it was hard to do all this... I learned a lot about travelling w/pets. Plus, this is a business for the airlines.. the difference in price between taking your dog as checked luggage (which means that the kennel will be released along w/the luggage in the conveyor belts) and shipping your doggie as cargo is abysmal. Oh well.. I'll keep you posted on how the whole situation went. Wish me luck.

Glad to hear from someone out there about travel with pets. I did not know that the Ecuador Embassy website was not updated! There is a local Ecuador consulate office that I plan to visit for more information.From their website it looks like Delta allows you to check pets as “luggage”. As luggage, I thought that you could get your pet with your “luggage”. Do you mean that night flights are treated differently since customs is closed? Reb

Hi Reb: Sorry, here's the little piece of information that is the clue to all the problem: it is SUMMER TIME!!! They airlines have some sort of guideline of not to let pets travel as checked luggage from May 15 to Sep 15, due to the summer heat. Therefore, the other months pets do have to travel as cargo. That's with AA and Delta. If I would have known this before, I probably would have scheduled my trip earlier or later that the above days. About the info in the Ecuadorian consulates websites..yes, some of the info is not updated at all. Also if you send them an e-mail most definitely you won't get an answer.. the e-mail addresses don't work. If you call the consulate, most definitely you won't get a call back. I've left a couple of messages for my local Consulate and I'm still waiting for their call. I called them the other day and they asked me for my phone number in order to call me back. I told them that I never get a call back.. then they immediately transfered me to the person I needed to talk with. At the office, in person, they are nice. HTH.

Hi Reb: Sorry, here's the little piece of information that is the clue to all the problem: it is SUMMER TIME!!! They airlines have some sort of guideline of not to let pets travel as checked luggage from May 15 to Sep 15, due to the summer heat. Therefore, the other months pets do have to travel as cargo. That's with AA and Delta. If I would have known this before, I probably would have scheduled my trip earlier or later that the above days. About the info in the Ecuadorian consulates websites..yes, some of the info is not updated at all. Also if you send them an e-mail most definitely you won't get an answer.. the e-mail addresses don't work. If you call the consulate, most definitely you won't get a call back. I've left a couple of messages for my local Consulate and I'm still waiting for their call. I called them the other day and they asked me for my phone number in order to call me back. I told them that I never get a call back.. then they immediately transfered me to the person I needed to talk with. At the office, in person, they are nice. HTH.

Yes, I have been told to make sure I schedule when the ground temperatures are within limits. I do not understand why it makes a difference as cargo/luggage since I was told that they are in the same "cargo hold" on the plane. I do know that they cannot control temps when there are extremes on the ground.

I looked at the blog that bokito 1 posted the link to, and it put some things in perspective.

Fortunately, we have some time and we do have an Ecuador consultat office in Houston so I can go there in person.

Reb: I just asked my husband who is a pilot and he explained to me that the cargo area of the plane has different compartments. Some of them are temperature/pressure controlled from the cockpit by the captain and those compartments are the ones that transport pets. So, there are different areas in the "belly" of the plane. Now, temperature wise, we had to schedule our trip at nightime when the temp in LA hopefully won't be over 85 degrees. I'm so concerned about my dog. But, there's not much that I can do other than hope for the best and pray. Being an animal lover, this is very stressful for me.

Reb: I just asked my husband who is a pilot and he explained to me that the cargo area of the plane has different compartments. Some of them are temperature/pressure controlled from the cockpit by the captain and those compartments are the ones that transport pets. So, there are different areas in the "belly" of the plane. Now, temperature wise, we had to schedule our trip at nightime when the temp in LA hopefully won't be over 85 degrees. I'm so concerned about my dog. But, there's not much that I can do other than hope for the best and pray. Being an animal lover, this is very stressful for me.

Reb: I just asked my husband who is a pilot and he explained to me that the cargo area of the plane has different compartments. Some of them are temperature/pressure controlled from the cockpit by the captain and those compartments are the ones that transport pets. So, there are different areas in the "belly" of the plane. Now, temperature wise, we had to schedule our trip at nightime when the temp in LA hopefully won't be over 85 degrees. I'm so concerned about my dog. But, there's not much that I can do other than hope for the best and pray. Being an animal lover, this is very stressful for me.

Hola AmigosI am in LA now and will be permanently in Ecuador soon. I cannot take our dog now as it is too hot and the shortest non-stop route is AMerican to Miami and Miami to Quito. I am really looking for recent information on people's experiences with bringing dogs to Quito.I have read the other posts and it sounds like a nightmare. Our dog is 9 years old and already a bit traumatized. The flight arrives in the early afternoon in Quito. Thanks for sharing. Kathleen

Poochie the traveling boxer says everyone should relax and rub a tummy :0)

It is important to be sure the temperature at the airport where your leave from is at most 85 degrees F (or better 80 degrees F for smoosh faced breeds)

This is because the holds, both for cargo and luggage is not climate controlled until take off and a dog can over heat easily -- which can be a fatal condition!

Makes sure your pet is well hydrated -- drinks right to the last moment. Some folks put a dish of frozen water in the case but many airlines no longer allow that.

Make sure no flight is longer than 5 hours.

Most animals can fly as luggage -- as long as the combined weight of the animal and their hard sided case/crate is 100 lbs or less...over this size they ride as cargo. The difference is in whether they are quarantined on the Ecuador end. As luggage, nope they just come out on the carousel. As caargo -- yes they are -- however, a fee can be paid (I beleive it is $600 partly refundable) to take your animal immediately if coming through cargo.

Alos some airlines require you to sedate your animal. Most vets will tell you that dogs respond to new experiences better if they are NOT sedated. Personally, I lied...then again, Poochie doesn't carry tails ;)

Of course, sedatives for the pet parents are often reccomended!

And do tell your flight crew you have fur family flying with you. They are usually loaded last.

Hi Susan; thanks for the advice. There's one thing, however that I need to clarify. There's no quarantine in Ecuador. They allow the pets to enter the country as long as their vet papers are in order. The thing is that there's no such thing as paying $600 when they travel as cargo. I called directly to the Customs office at the Quito Airport and they told me that there's no such thing. If the dog arrives as cargo at nighttime, unfortunately, it has to spend the night at the customs warehouse. The owner will be allowed to see the doggie for a few minutes. That's it. I was hoping that I could pay the $600 and get my dog out. But it is not going to be the case.

Hi Kathleen: It is a wise decision to wait until september 15 to take your dog to Ecuador or any other part of the world. There's an embargo on pets from May 15 until Sep 15. During this period, most airlines don't allow pets flying as checked luggage. Some airlines will take your pet (if it weights more than 10 lbs) as cargo. Thanks.

LAN has an early morning flight out of Miami going to Guayaquil. They fly the pets as luggage so you can walk out of the airport when you arrive with no fees. Before you book the flight call the airline and make sure that no other pets are competing with space. They only have so much room for pets. Book the flight online (save money) then call the airline and book the pets.

The website for the “Embassy of Ecuador” in DC is not exactly current (especially the $600 tax). I have contacted the Ecuador Consulate in Houston and they were clueless about traveling with pets and knew nothing about the “tax”.

I have been getting as much information as I can before I go, and this is what I have found out.

Arriving in Quito during business hours is best because, whether the dog travels as luggage or cargo, you “should” be able to retrieve the dog the same day. Some airlines have changed their policies and will only fly pets as cargo unless they are small enough to fly in the cabin as a carry-on. All airlines have temperature restrictions for pet travel, and they limit the number of pets/flight. Check with the airlines about "sedatives" because I have recently read they do NOT want animals sedated. That is up to you and your vet as well. I will not self-medicate until my dogs arrive safely so that I do not lose control of my emotions (temper/fear/sobbing), especially if something stressful occurs with officials, etc. I plan to self-medicate once we are all safely out of the airport!!!

It is my understanding that if you arrive at night and your dog travels as cargo, you have to leave it in the cargo warehouse overnight until the cargo-customs folks arrive in the morning. The other postings indicate that you can visit your pet and give it water plus take it for a walk, but I do not know for certain what is allowed.

Some airlines will not fly pug-faced dogs (and certain other types of dogs). Check with your airline just to make sure.

I have been advised that when I board the plane to ask the flight attendant to ask the captain if my dogs are on board. The captain should have the animal's name on his/her list of passengers that are actually on/in the plane.

If anyone has the phone number and/or email of folks at the Quito airport, please post it (if it is not too much trouble).

Please share any new information that you may get.

Best wishes for you and your furry friend.

Reb

PS: Thanks to all the pet-loving expats for such helpful responses and encouragement!

I know that many folks are scared about bringing their beloved dogs and cats here (I sure would be)...This thread has alot of information, although I came across more information on another forum and it was compiled by Rachel Zeigler, a U.S. Embassy employee.

HOW TO SUCCESFULLY EXPORT PETS FROM ECUADOR *

The information in this document is based on recent experiences of Embassy families in exporting pets from Ecuador. This applies to all non-exotic pets like cats and dogs, and any other common type of household pet. For the purpose of conveying pet exportation information, general references within this text apply to dogs. Birds and reptiles may require different procedures, so travelers will need to coordinate such exports with AGROCALIDAD (EX-SESA) (The Ministry of Agriculture and Farming located at Amazonas and Av. Eloy Alfaro, 9th floor) and the corresponding airlines. This information is correct as of March 2011. Personnel are encouraged to consult the airlines directly regarding what is required because they maintain the most current information regarding pet shipping requirements.

Step 1 – Contact your local veterinarian to make sure that your dog has all of the necessary vaccinations to enter the country you will be moving to. Typically, dogs need both a rabies vaccine as well as the multi-vaccine (hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and distemper) that are dated no more that 365 days-old and no less than 30 days-old before the date your pet will travel. Some countries may have more restrictive vaccine requirements. In addition, for many countries, you also need to certify that your dog has been treated against endo-and recto-parasites (basically the de-worming medicine and the flea and tick medicine, such as Frontline, Advantix, or Revolution) 30 days before travel.

(As a side note, if your dog is due to receive new vaccinations, consider using the Virbac brand of the multi-vaccination. In Ecuador, there are several resistant strains of Canine Distemper, a very serious and often deadly disease. The vaccines made by Pfizer and other Latin American-brands have a very high incidence of not protecting against canine distemper in Ecuador. The Virbac vaccine is more expensive (approx $45 instead of $20) but it has a much lower failure rate).

Step 2- Two to four days before traveling, your veterinarian needs to complete the required Health Certificate. The health certificate is a very simple one of two page document stating that your pet is in good health, is fully vaccinated, and is able to travel. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VET FILLS OUT THE HEALTH CERTIFICATE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. Customs inspectors in most major U.S. ports of entry will have someone who speaks Spanish, but if your dog is traveling to a third or even a fourth country, then make sure that the health certificate is in both English and Spanish.

Once you have the health certificate, make two copies of it. The original will be kept with the dog on the day of travel, the other copy will be given to AGROCALIDAD (EX-SESA); and, the traveler should take the second copy with them for record keeping purposes.

Step 3 – Decide which airline you will be flying on. Keep in mind that many airlines have rules and restrictions about transporting pets during certain times of the year and/or when the temperature is above or below certain levels. Be aware that there are certain airlines, such as Continental, that do not have these same temperature restrictions because they have temperature-controlled carts that transport the dogs from plane-to-plane and from the plane to a terminal holding area. Make sure that you call and speak with the airline directly and do not just rely solely on travel agency information.

Step 4 – Pay the required $14 fee to AGROCALIDAD (EX-SESA) to export your pet. You can go to one of three locations in Quito:

3. SIGAL office (SERVICIO DE INSPECCION DE CUARENTENA PARA GALAPAGOS) on Av. De la Prensa y Homero Salas located near to the International Airport parking lot; they are open Monday through Friday from 05:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

You will need to fill out a “Zoo-Sanitario Form” and make the payment at one of the windows. The payment is only accepted in cash! Once you have paid, you will need to KEEP THE RECEIPT so put it in a safe place! You need to be able to give the original receipt to the AGROCALIDAD Ministry reviewer when you take your dog to get its final documentation to leave the country.

Step 5 - Make a reservation for your dog (or cat). Talk to the airline you are traveling on to make sure you know when you can make the reservation for your pet and whether or not that reservation is confirmed, or determine if the pet will be flying standby. Four to five days before you leave, confirm the reservations with the airline. Some airlines allow you to make the reservation further in advance, but will only confirm the reservation three to five days before the day of travel. Some airlines will only allow your dog to fly standby. Some airlines such as Continental will give you an actual confirmation number for your dog. Other airlines will only allow the pet to fly standby so you will not have an actual confirmation until the day of the flight. Either way, it is very helpful to be in touch with the local airline representatives in Quito so that they are aware you will be traveling with your pet.

Certain airlines will let your pet out of its kennel to stretch its legs and walk around a little between flights, but others charge a fee for this service. Because the arrangements need to be made in advance, make sure you coordinate any of these services with the airlines well ahead of your scheduled departure.

Finally, make sure you confirm with the airline all of the documentation that is needed for your pet to travel (air kennel with dog).

· Veterinarian’s Health Certificate

· AGROCALIDAD International Certificate

· Vaccination Record

Step 6 – One day before departure.

Within 24 hours of your flight, you need to go to the AGROCALIDAD offices at the airport located in the airport parking lot. AGROCALIDAD is the Ecuadorian Ministry responsible for the export of all agricultural products and animals. You will need to bring your dog with you but you don’t need the kennel etc. -AGROCALIDAD is open Monday through Sunday from 8am until at least 5pm (if not later). This is a crucial piece of documentation, the trip to AGROCALIDAD should not take more than one hour, and that is only if there are several other people waiting as well. You will need to show them the same documentation:

· Veterinarian’s Health Certificate

· AGROCALIDAD International Certificate

· Vaccination Record

If you have questions you can talk to the AGROCALIDAD offices at 330-2247

HOW TO SUCCESFULLY IMPORT PETS INTO ECUADOR

IMPORTANT: We strongly recommend that the pet travel as accompanied baggage, otherwise the procedure and costs are different.Step 1 - Obtain a certificate of good health and a certificate of the following vaccines: parbovirosis, leptospirosis, hepatitis, canine distemper and rabies issued by a professional veterinarian in the United States. The certificate should also include the pet’s name, age, sex, breed, and color. Documents should be processed and signed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) in the State where you live, at least 10 days before the trip. Step 2 – Make a reservation with an airline, preferably as accompanied baggage. Pets must be accommodated in a kennel that meets USDA guidelines or the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) live animal regulations.Each airline has different policies depending on the season when you travel and the size of your pet, so please contact them directly in advance.

Step 3 - If you are not able to take the pet with you as accompanied baggage the same day of your flight because of the high season or temperature restrictions, you will need to send your pet as cargo. If that is the case, you need to consider the following requirements:

Pets require import permits before they are allowed entry into Ecuador. A permit can be obtained locally at the Ministerio de Agricultura Building in Quito (Amazonas y Eloy Alfaro, 9th floor, telephone number: 254-8751, 254-3319, 2228446, they are open Monday through Friday from 08:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) with copies of your passport, the health certification, and rabies vaccines. The local permit costs $ 24 per animal. For pets arriving as cargo you will need to use a licensed clearing agent to do the customs clearance work. Agents charge approximately $300 to $400 for services related to the clearance. This charge is the employee’s responsibility.

NOTES:

1. Due to recent deadly attacks from Rottweiler and Pit Bulls, the Government of Ecuador has decided to forbid the entrance to the country of pets of these breeds.

2. There have been rumors and press reports that the Government of Ecuador may implement pet micro-chipping regulations, but nothing official has been implemented to date.

The day is coming and we'll be travelling to Ec. on Tuesday. I've completed all the paperwork for my pet. Yes, it was a lot of work.. the 7001 health cert, the rabies cert, the deworming, flea treatment. We had to make sure that the vet was USDA approved, not only licensed. Then to the USDA office (70miles away from our house) to have the certificates stamped. Then to the Ecuadorian Consulated to get more stamps. A friend has hired a customs agent in Quito to help us release our dog. However, it is almost impossible to release him at nightime. Therefore our poodle will have to spend the night at a warehouse. I hate this idea but there's just much I can do. Hopefully they'll let us see him for a few minutes at the customs warehouse. I'll keep you posted.

Finally I'm in Quito after a long trip. About Fred travelling cargo.. I don't recommend it to anybody. It was a terrible experience, not for Fred, but for me. Fred was OK. We travelled w/Delta. We went from LA to ATL. In ATL we had a 10 hour layover. During this time a kennel service took Fred out of the airport to a pet service and they cleaned his kennel, gave him xtra water and food and pet him. Of course, this was not for free. Delta charges for this. Then from ATL to Quito. We arrived in Quito around 10:30 pm. and it was impossible to release Fred, since customs is closed. We had to go back to be at the customs warehouse where Fred was staying early next morning. The person that takes care of Delta cargo helped us with Fred's paperwork in order to release him. It was a long and expensive ordeal. Because I couldn't get my migration papers immediately, they had to "import" Fred, which means that I had to pay a huge amount of money to customs in order to release him. The procedure is long... tons of paperwork, electronic approvals from customs, Agrocalidad's vet inspection, etc.etc. IN the meantime, I was able to be w/Fred at the warehouse. The security guard had taken care of him early in the morning. People at the customs warehouse were very nice.. they allowed us to be with Fred for as long as we need it. After 9 hours they released him... I couldn't believe it. It was such an stressing ordeal. After this experience, I'm sure that I won't do this again. If I have to travel with my dog again, I'll do anything possible to take him as checked luggage. The burocracy here is horrible. However, I didn't have any other choice. I certainly thank the personnel at the customs warehouse since they were compassionate and understanding. Very friendly indeed. Fred was a little stressed out.. not knowing what was going on. Delta personnel also were very helpful. Of couse, I did my homework. Prior to the trip I made sure that Fred's kennel complied w/the IATA regulations (metal bots, water and food dishes inside the kennel, etc.etc) and also made sure that his paperwork (health certificate 7001, rabies cert, USDA's stamp, Ecuadorian consulate stamp) was in order. Believe it or not, it took us 1 hour at the Delta cargo to check Fred. The guy checked every single signature, vaccine, etc.etc. He was very thorough. Now my doggie is adjusting to his new sorroundings, loving the company of 2 more poodles that live in my house. The morale of this experience: If you don't have to, pls don't ship your dog as cargo... but if you absolutely don't have a choice, be prepared for the ordeal. Best regards, Susy

Hello Susy,I have been thinking of you and glad that you made it with Fred. Your report of your ordeal is helpful and consistent with what others have posted. If you could let us know how expensive it was, it would help me and others justify the cost of travel arrangements that involve getting to an airport with direct flights that land when customs is open (and the dogs can fly as baggage). Give Fred a pat and a treat from me.

Thanks for this information.Its always good to read how people/dogs expierenced their travel and arrival in Ecuador.Glad the customs people allowed you all the time with your dog.How is fred's spanish doing?Guess by now he is fluent in Ecua dog language,right?Enjoy you time her with the dogs.

Thank you. Fred is adjusting quite well to his new environment. He is eating more than he used to eat in the USA. Funny! About the expenses that I incurred by bringing Fred cargo:Delta Cargo $750Customs fee: $520Customs agent fee: $100Yes, it was very expensive. However, Fred is so worth it. If you can take your dog as check luggage I think it'll cost $200. In this case, you'll pick up your doggie at the carrousel. You only have to get an AGROCALIDAD form that costs about $25. That's it. Then you're on your way with your doggie. Good luck.

Hi Susie, my name is Rebecca.We are putting the house on the market September so we will move as soon as it is sold. My husband will travel first (from Houston) with the parrot, then I will drive to Florida to see my family (Florida is my home). I will fly AA from Miami directly to Quito (with dogs as baggage) and land early afternoon. My husband will be there with a car or a driver. We leave tomorrow morning for our 2-week recon-trip. I showed him your "post" about the costs and he is in agreement that traveling to Florida is the best way to take the dogs. He has to fly Continental from Houston because AA will not fly the parrot! The parrot (Hattie) will fly in the cabin with him. She has flown many times before (in airplanes).This is a real juggling act but will be the best way to get everyone there with the least trauma. Take care! Rebecca

Hi Reb: It is a great idea that you drive to FL with your doggie, visit your family and then travel to Ec. Less expensive!! So, AA won't take the parrot. Hum.. airlines are so complicated. After my experience, I don't want to travel for a while. Why do they have to complicate our lives so much?? Why so many regulations? Well. Good luck to your husband and your parrot and to you as well. Pls tell us how you did.

One of the MANY of my concerns ,is ,my dogs (bull terriers,both aged 10 ,will travel in cages in the luggage area,)Should the plane go down,into the ocean They can wear their fido life preserver jackets in the cage but trapped inside of the cage would probably not survive and outside of the cage would probably make it It is extremely frustrating that we can not just purchase two more tickets and take them in the seats beside us just as children can accompany their parentsThey are well trained non barking model dogs We take them along in the front seat of our car and go everywhere with them

Hi! I understand your anxiety. However, there are things that are totally out of our control. We just have to try our best to protect our pets and provide a safe trip environment. I'm sure that everything will be OK. Like it did with my doggie.. I was anxious, nervous, worried. Yes, he spent 17 hours in a customs warehouse.. he survived. People were nice and friendly with him and I. I costed a lot of money, yes. But it was so worth it. At the end.. we're OK, adjusting to our new life in Ecuador. Best regards,

I had the EXACT same fear with Poochie. I decided if that plane goes down with my beloved boy I was diving in and opening the compartment myself!

Two bull terriers... gosh I love those noses. We'll need to have a play date when your two get down here.

And lastly -- I have looked at the title of this thread so many times and read it as TaLking dogs ~ so you know: Dogs learn Spanish faster than we do. Poochie can roll his R's when he barks RrrrUFF...and I am convince he holds complete conversations within Snra Francisca and Snra Maria in the kitchen. I distinctly heard him say: Me gusta dos huevos y pan con queso this morning. Honest! If you stay here with us you can see the morning breakfast performance. It's a hoot!

Hi there, for what it's worth I've pasted an excerpt of a post I made on a different web site of my experience of flying my dog from Ecuador to Saskatchewan and back last October 2010. I hope it isn't too disjointed and long given that it was actually my responses to many inquiries over several days).

Oh, btw, I have to English Bull Terriers too! They're fantastic dogs!

Here it is:

"I brought my dog to Canada from Ecuador in May 2010 (easy peasy process) and will be returning to Ecuador with him on October 25th. From the research I've done I've gotten the impression that the Ecuadorian guidelines for pet importation for both Canadians and Americans are very similar.

I'm flying my dog as checked baggage because I was told that pets that fly as cargo must be cleared by customs before they can be picked up. That means there is a possibility that a pet can sit in the customs warehouse for 2 or 3 days. I've seen how animals get treated in Ecuador and I'm not willing to leave my dog in the hands of someone who might be less than caring (i.e no water, food, walks etc).

Continental only flies dogs as cargo now and that's one of the reasons I'm (albeit reluctantly) flying with Delta. Flying your dog as cargo means they go unaccompanied (a different plane than you) and checked baggage means you're travelling on the same flight with them. Continental has a completely separate cargo plane they use for (obviously) cargo but also for pets. When I phoned Continental reservations they told me that pets are the first thing to get bumped if the flight is full. Not good.

The other reasons I'm using Delta are that they have a better schedule than American Airlines and I can avoid going through Miami (no worries about heat). My total travel time is supposed to be just over 15 hours but I have to do that connection-from-hell layover in Altanta so we'll see...My flight is Saskatoon-Minneapolis-Atlanta-Quito. Starting at 5:45am and ending at 10:00pm.

A dog counts as 1 checked bag so if you want to bring more than 1 pet and 1 suitcase it costs $100 extra. I think it's such a joke seeing as they charge extra for the pet anyway. Delta allows 2 pets of the same breed to share a kennel and I think they allow a maximum of 2 kennels per flight, so that might work for you. The airline didn't make any recommendations for how I should fly my dog but, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I would trust them anyway :-)

One last point - if I were able to go directly from the USA I would fly domestic as far as I could then spend one night wherever I ended up and then head down to Ecuador. Those long flights can be really brutal on a pet. When we moved to Ecuador 2 years ago with our cat (he was hand carried on a Continental flight) the trip was really hard on him. He bounced back after a couple of days but I sure felt bad for the poor guy.

Anyway, tomorrow I'm sending all the paperwork to the consulate to get stamped then I should be good to go for Monday. I'll post about my adventures once I'm settled in at home in Cuenca. Hopefully it will be an uneventful and boring story!

Well, my dog and I are safe and sound and back in Cuenca and I'm happy to report that the trip did indeed turn out to be boring and uneventful!

Delta has a pretty good system for flying pets. When you check your pet and your luggage a Delta employee attaches a big sticker to the pet carrier and at the bottom of it are tags that tear off. Each tag matches up to your plane ticket for each leg of your trip. So each time your pet is loaded on to the plane a baggage handler tears off a tag and gives it to the flight attendant who, in turn, brings it to you.

I also made a point of asking the greeting flight attendant (on each plane I boarded) if they knew if my dog was on board or not. I know it's a moot point with the tag system but it made me feel better!

Once I got to Quito my dog was the very first item off the plane and I just picked him up along with my luggage. I had all the necessary documents which I showed to a lady at customs and she kept a copy of the international health certificate (make sure you have several copies just to be safe). The info they want is proof of vaccinations, rabies and the international health certificate.

Now, about the whole baggage allowance thing... After I posted on this discussion about finding out there would be a $100 charge for the second bag I decided to phone Delta back (3 times in fact). In typical Delta fashion I was given different answers every time I called. The first person said that the charge would only be $30, then the next person initially said "no, the $100 charge was correct" then after some checking changed it to there being "no charge", then the last person confirmed that there would be no charge. So I went with the "no charge" answer and it turned out to be true. The charges/no charges issue has to do with where you're coming from and where you're going. My advice is to phone several times and get the name and location of each person you talk to.

Once I got to Quito I booked a flight with Aerogal to Cuenca and then made sure I got to the airport a good hour and a half early. That way I was at the front of the line and a guaranteed to get my dog on board. On a side note - I was told by an Aerogal employee that I would have to pay $1 or $2 per kilo for my dog but when I checked in I wasn't actually charged anything! I didn't want to mess with a good thing so I didn't ask why but maybe it had something to do with being there so early? In any case, it was a nice surprise.

I forgot to add that I covered the pet carrier with lots of info like pictures of my dog, live animal and fragile stickers. Plus a copy of the international health certificate, an extra leash and a bag of food. Pretty much anything to make it stand out and get people to remember it.

As far as I know pets just have to be up to date with their shots.For example if your pet is born on Jan 1st and you religiously get his shots on his birthday every year then he would be considered up to date from Jan 1st to Dec 31st.

My dog was born Oct 11th 2009 had his last shots at 9 months. We flew on October 25th 2010 so technically he wouldn't have been considered up to date. But I figured that since he has always had his shots here in Ecuador that they'd let it go. Not to mention being so close to his birthday.

The biggest thing that they seem concerned with is the rabies vaccination. But I guess it also depends who you get when you go through the airport (this being SA!).

If it's still not clear to you just phone the Ecuadorian Embassy or Consulate. I inundated them with questions before I came here and it really helped."

Hi MEEMEE,THANK YOU, I liked the "Easy peasy" partWe have considered many elaborate methods of taking them to Ecuador Trading a property for a boat and taking a few months to come down ,dogs in tow but neither of us would have a clue about how to do the boat thing and I have no real interest in boating I have a friend who is an expert ,said "an amateur does not go off to Ecuador in a boat " and that there are pirates and can be 30ft waves and you are being ridiculous. She took her sail boat to Tahiti,so i thought ...how hard can it beSo when she mentioned pirates,i told my husband "Forget it,I don't want to put the dogs in that kind of risk"Now the latest,is to drive to Miami with our dogs and fly to Quito with Lan ???They are both 10 years old, and my husband thinks they may not make it more than two to three more years. So far ,we go to EC alone and leave thembehind with the familyI find it perturbing to leave them behind, so I would rather take them down....the sooner the betterI hadn't thought of covering the pet carrier with lots of pictures, posters and info ...I like thatBest to you and yours

Hello, and thanks for the info. We will be flying in mid Sept. and are going to do our best to take our dogs as luggage. We have been considering having a van take us from Quito to Cuenca because we didn't know if we would have to pay for the dog crates and luggage again for that flight? Also, the dogs are 85lbs and 95lbs. with XLarge crates. My husband thought they might be only small planes that go between Quito and Cuenca? Any info on that will help. I wasn't looking forward to a 10 hour drive.

Hi there, the planes that fly to Cuenca from Quito are jets not small planes. Have you checked with the airlines (LAN, Aerogal, Air Cuenca and Tame) to ask what it would cost? Chances are you're not going to get away with not paying for 2 large dogs in large crates, but I don't know for sure so it would be much better for you to contact them direct (sometimes they make allowances for people who have just arrived on an international flight).

On one hand it's nice to drive because it's usually not as stressful to your pet and you can stop for breaks along the way but on the other hand the flight is only 45 minutes and saves your pet from (once again) being cooped up in a small space for a long time. Your call.

And please keep in mind that no matter what you're told there's always a chance that it will have changed by the time you get here (welcome to South America!).

I'm planning to move from Canada to Ecuador and take 3 dogs. Every airline has different weight limits (dog plus crate) that they will carry in the baggage compartment. If weight is over that limit then the dog will have to fly as cargo. I'm interested in hearing from people who have flown from Canada to Ecuador and which airlines. I'll probably be able to send 2 dogs in the baggage compartment and one as cargo (85lb dog plus his crate).

bigbirdu2 - check with your airline, as your dogs are large and heavy you may have to send them as cargo in which case I think you may need a customs agent.

From my experience I can tell that Ecuadorians at customs warehouse were extremely nice and compassionate. They did give my dog water and changed the newspaper shredding in the kennel. They didn't have to do it, but they did. Yes, my dog spent 17 hours at that warehouse. I can say that it was more traumatic for me than for my dog. However, I DON'T RECOMMEND to anyone to fly their dog as cargo. It is a long process to release from customs and costs a lot of money. Delta is really nice w/dogs.

I was super stressed over the whole thing. Yes, my doggie was afraid too. However, during the layover in Atlanta a kennel service came and took him out of the airport to a doggie service, where they cleaned him up, gave him food and water and walked him. At the warehouse customs they were really nice as well. When I got there, he was calm, not barking or anything like that.

Just read your "horror" story. Although we are now in 2012, I'm sure things are essentially the same. I'm planning on bringing my Cocker Spaniel to Ecuador, so any names of Customs agents would be most appreciated.